A World of Fragile Things
by simplyshelbs16
Summary: The 3rd and final installment in my Center Will Not Hold universe. Gather around to read about an evil plot executed by Ron's nemesis, Fukushima, putting the lives of everyone he loves in danger. Kim, Ron, and Yori team up with an unlikely duo to save the world from the hands of yet another hellbent villain.
1. Halfway to Anywhere

**Previously in Sophomore Slump…**

_"__Why didn't you tell us!?" Ron shouted._

_"__Normally, I'd say Ron was overreacting, but he's right; why didn't you tell us?" Kim asked._

_"__I apologize," Yori replied. "Sensei can see Stoppable-San's destiny—yours too—and it is usually straightforward."_

_"__But…" Kim encouraged._

_"__But every possible path is converging, leaving him in the dark. There may be a battle on the horizon, and there may not be," Yori explained. "There was an attack at Yamanouchi last night. This changes things."_

_"__It certainly does, but how are we supposed to stop whatever it is if we don't know __what __it is," Ron pointed out._

_A loud explosion had them all ducking. One of the cars in Bueno Nacho's parking lot burst into flames._

_The kimmunicator went off._

_"__Wade, what's going on!?" Kim asked. "A random car just blew up."_

_"__I have a video message sent to the site for Ron," he told them._

_All three of them watched the screen as it played. A face appeared that was familiar to both Yori and Ron._

_"__Hello, outsider."_

* * *

Somewhere, deep in the thicket of the woods, Fukushima made preparations for his ultimate plan. With three students from Yamanouchi taken as his hostages after the attack last night, he had a good bargaining chip. His fingers traced the rough parchment that was once in Monkey Fist's possession, learning all he could of the Yono. He had to think carefully of the execution of his plans. If he played his cards right, the world would bow down to him.

Steadying the camera, Fukushima began his video message, cliché as it may be for villains. "Hello, outsider."

* * *

"Ima ikimasu?" Kim looked over at Yori cluelessly.

"He says that he is coming," she answered, noticing the grave looks on their faces. Yori felt the deep regret of having not said something sooner to prepare them for this battle.

"He's coming…for what?" Ron's voice trembled slightly, fearing for Kim's safety, and his sister's.

"All of us," Yori confirmed hanging her head in despair.

Ron immediately locked his eyes on Kim's, both sharing a moment of fearing what's to come. "I was afraid you'd say that."

* * *

"If he's coming to Middleton, we could try an ambush," Yori suggested, her eyes meeting with Kim's. "The element of surprise is always best, unless of course, he expects it." Kim looked over to get Ron's opinion, but he was pre-occupied with hanging upside down from the sofa.

"Whoa, head rush," he remarked, sitting right side up again. "Nobody knows Fukushima's tactics like I do. He'll be expecting an ambush. What we need to do is figure out why he's coming to Middleton in the first place. He knows nothing of this land. The real fight will be in Japan."

"Makes sense," Kim agreed. "He's coming for us, but in what way? Obviously it won't be a fight, so he'll try to find our vulnerabilities."

"Not ours," Ron corrected her. "_My_ vulnerabilities. He's gonna go after the people I love most." His soft brown eyes, filled with worry, locked on Kim's emerald ones.

Kim, reading his thoughts effortlessly, made a crucial point to him. "It's not gonna be just me, Ron. He'll try to go after your family too."

"I'll guard them if I have to," Yori offered. "If he's going after anyone, it'll be Hana."

"I won't let that happen." Ron stood up and began pacing. "He'd have to kill me first before I ever let him near Hana; before I let him near any of you."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," Kim added. "We need to be two steps ahead. He's here for Hana, check. But now we just need to know what for? What's his endgame?"

"He'd only take Hana if he needed her for something; I don't think he'd hurt her. She may be a toddler, but you have to remember, she is a prophesized human weapon. Monkey Fist needed her, and now Fukushima." Yori stopped to let it sink in. "I'll look into more of the ancient legends to see if I find anything that mentions The Han."

"Please and thank you," Kim smiled. As Yori left, Kim slid her hand into Ron's. "We won't let anything happen to Hana. We'll get him."

"But what do we do now?" Ron asked, unsure of what steps to take next.

"We wait," Kim replied simply. "But until then, I am determined for us to have a good Memorial Day cookout. It is tradition after all."

And it was._ Ever since they were four years old, both of their families would always gather together for the annual Possible/Stoppable Memorial Day cookout. Each family took turns hosting it, and it was a favorite time of year for Kim and Ron. There'd always be music playing, blasting from the outdoor speakers. When they were small, there'd be a kiddie pool for her and Ron to play in while their dads grilled outdoors, with their moms preparing side dishes in the kitchen. As they got older, they traded the kiddie pool for frisbee and water gun fights. _

_Their first Memorial Day cookout since taking that step into a romantic relationship, Ron used unfair tactics during their water gun fight. He had called a timeout when Kim found him hiding behind a tree, claiming he needed to catch his breath. She ran her fingers through his damp hair, smoothing it back. Kim was caught up in the way he was looking at her, eyes so full of love. Ron leaned in ever so slowly, his lips barely touching hers when he sprayed all the water he had left over her head, but she didn't care. Kim finished what he started, pressing her lips to his fervently, tossing the water gun behind her._

Snapping out of her reminiscent state of mind, Kim smiled at Ron reassuringly before they descended down the ladder. If this was the only fun they were gonna have before all hell breaks loose, then she was determined to make the most of it.

* * *

**Author's Note: **We're gonna have some lighthearted fun in the next chapter, but I can't promise it'll end on a lighthearted note. Gotta have them cliffhangers lol! Also, I wanted to ask the Kimmunity, if you haven't already, please sign my season 5 petition for Kim Possible, regardless of whether you liked or disliked the movie. Bob and Mark recently said there's still a chance for the cartoon to come back! Let's put all our differences aside, and band together! Just Google 'Kim Possible Season 5 Petition and it's the first result! Please and thank you!


	2. Long Lost Words Whisper Slowly to Me

**Author's Note: ****Okay, so I'm putting a warning here that this chapter mentions an old Japanese urban legend that ends violently, just in case anyone wants to skip past the end of that part. It is based on the Legend of Kuchisake-Onna, but I changed the circumstances of it to fit my KP universe. Also, does anyone know the band whose lyrics I've been using for the story title and chapter titles?**

* * *

It was just a typical day; nothing special. Shego sighed at the thought of what her life has become. It seemed to be the same routine constantly now that she was living without the villainy. She didn't regret turning back to the side of do-gooders, but she didn't particularly care for the humdrum of what constitutes a 'normal life.' She loved adventure, and while Drakken had adjusted too easily to such a life, Shego hoped he'd be up for switching things up a bit. It was just a boring, uneventful day up until she stepped inside the old lair.

Boxes. Were. Everywhere. The lair was so barren with all of their belongings packed away. For what reason, Shego hadn't the slightest idea. Most of the furniture seemed to be gone too.

"Uh, Doctor D?" she called out, but no reply came forward. Her fingers skimmed the flaps of a box labeled _Shego's CDs_. "Drew?" She raised her voice slightly.

"Hmm? Shego! You're back!" he approached her, a little too enthusiastically, those ridiculous pink-lensed goggles strapped to his face. They always made his eyes comically large. She'd never say, but it never failed to make her laugh after a particularly grueling day.

"What's with all the boxes?" Shego asked him impatiently.

"Oh"—he paused a moment—"we're moving."

"Say what, now?" This wasn't the adventure Shego was looking for. They were perfectly fine living where they always have been.

"You didn't expect us to live out the rest of our days in this dump of a lair did you?" Drakken asked, mulling over which things he should throw out or pack.

"Please tell me we're not living in Go Tower." Shego was still getting used to being part of the team again. Living with her brothers would be the last straw that sends her over the edge into insanity.

"Not a chance," Drakken replied, tossing out an old ratty t-shirt. "I found us an apartment in Go City. It's quite spacious, and surprisingly affordable." Shego had to admit, she was impressed. He really seemed to have thought this all through. The only thing that annoyed her is that he did it all without even consulting her. After all, they'll be living together like they have been for the last six, almost seven, years.

"As much as I appreciate your thoroughness of this whole idea, don't you think you should've talked to me about this first? It's not just your life you uprooted; it's mine too." Shego shook away the annoying voice in her head that told her to pick her battles, but she refused to listen. Drakken was partially in the wrong here, and it needed to be pointed out. Though she couldn't understand why she was so upset over it. No, he didn't consult her on this major decision, but he was still doing the right thing in her eyes.

"It was supposed to be a surprise; I can't even begin to list the countless times you complained about not having a real place to live, so I took initiative," Drakken explained. "Now I see that was probably the wrong way to go about it. I'll consult you from now on. Scout's honor." He held up his fingers.

"Why do I have a hard time believing you were ever a boy scout?" Shego folded her arms, a look of amusement on her face.

"Because," Drakken turned to her, "you're a smart woman."

And that was all it took. Shego felt warmth spread throughout her, her face flushed for the first time since she had turned her back on being good. She was blushing. The moment she realized it, she turned away so he couldn't see, but the small smile on his face was enough to let her know he already had.

* * *

"I've got you in my sights now," Kim muttered to herself. She waited for the perfect moment to strike. This took precision from her position. Ready, aim, fire. Kim launched the water balloon at Ron from where she sat among the tree branches, laughing so hard at his reaction, an embarrassing snort came from her nose.

"Oh I see how it's gonna be," Ron shouted up to her, fighting the smile that was so plainly on his face. Kim hooked her legs over the branch, swinging herself upside down to face him.

"So, what cha gonna do about it?" She smirked, ignoring the blood rushing to her head. He brushed his lips against hers, both caught up in the reverse Spiderman moment. "Truce?" Kim asked between kisses. A cold splash of water spread over her black tank top, and she opened her eyes to see Ron's smug expression. Sitting right-side up on the branch once more, she hopped down effortlessly from the tree, facing her opponent. "You're lucky you're cute," she told Ron, tugging him closer by the belt loop on his jeans.

"I think I'm luckier for other things," he replied, tucking Kim's copper hair behind her ear.

Kim's face softened at his words. "That's so sweet, Ron."

"Oh," he began, "you thought I was talking about you? I obviously meant it for all these homemade nacos." He gestured toward the picnic table.

"Shut up," Kim told him playfully, giggling as if they were in the honeymoon stage of their relationship once more.

"Kids! Burgers are done!" Mrs. Stoppable called out to them, a bright smile on her face. Just like Ann Possible, Andrea Stoppable had always hoped Kim and Ron would end up together. She even remembered a time that she joked with Ann about refusing to approve of any girl Ron brought home for her and her husband to meet, unless it was Kim, and they already knew her. He had dated Zita Flores for a short while, but they were never serious enough for that step. Seeing the two of them together always made her happy. They've been through a lot together to get where they are now. Call it mother's intuition, but she had a feeling, deep inside, that the worst had yet to come.

* * *

He had watched and learned his surroundings in Middleton for a week now. The daily routine of the Stoppable family was a fairly simple one. Three-year old Hana would be an easy target. He needed her to begin his plan…and to complete it. Tonight will be the night he takes the girl under his wing. Little did he know, someone was watching from the trees in the Stoppables' backyard. Fukushima leapt onto the roof, making his way to the girl's room. Upon approaching it, the figure in the trees sprang into action, blocking his path.

"Ha! Yori," he laughed. "I should have known you'd be here."

"I won't let you take little Han. To get to her, you'll have to go through me," she challenged him. He made the first move, attempting to knock her legs out from under her. Yori lunged at him, gripping his gi to try and swing him off the roof. They fought stealthily in the night, evenly matched in every way. Just when she thought she had the upper hand, Fukushima revealed the Lotus Blade. Though he was unable to command it, he used the hilt to hit Yori on the back of her head, knocking her out cold with a loud thump.

The sound must have been heard, because he saw a light from the house next door turn on. The face that appeared in the now-open window was that of Kim Possible.

"Hey!" Kim shouted up at him, grabbing her grappling hook. She hooked it around the Stoppables' chimney, launching herself up to the roof, slamming her feet into his chest. The Lotus Blade slid off the tiles and onto the ground. Fukushima flipped onto his feet, fighting Kim so close to the edge of the roof, she slid, hanging by one arm grasping the gutter. He took this time to rush into the bedroom window of Hana Stoppable, emerging from the front door victoriously.

Dropping down onto the ground carefully, Kim attempted to carefully get Hana out of his arms. Neither wanted the girl to be hurt, making it nearly impossible to fight one another. Kim saw an opening, and took it. Hana was nearly in her reach when Fukushima blew a strange crackling powder onto her, rendering her immobile. She felt herself going into stasis, unable to even blink.

"Until next time, Possible," he waved her off, escaping with Hana Stoppable. Ron's little sister.

"KP!" Ron shouted, running out the door in only his pajama pants. Fukushima had taken Hana, and now Kim wasn't moving. Having brought his kimmunicator with him, he contacted Wade, who appeared on screen looking extremely sleepy. Upon seeing the panic on Ron's face, he became wide awake all at once.

"Ron, what happened?"

"Kim's not moving, or speaking," Ron told him. She's still breathing and her eyes are open, but that's it."

"Scan her with the kimmunicator so I can take a look at what may have caused this," Wade spoke calmly. He analyzed the strange powdery substance that stuck to Kim's clothes, but seemed to seep into her skin. Ron stroked Kim's hair while waiting for the results. "It's strange."

"What? What is it?" Ron asked frantically. This had Fukushima written all over it. Just as the thought crossed his mind, Yori landed beside him, having finally come to.

"It's like nothing I've ever seen before," Wade told him. "It walks the line between mad science and magic. I'll contact you if I find anything." Just like that, the screen went black.

"It's a mixture born of science and old magic," Yori explained. "I've only ever heard of such a weapon used in the War of Darkness."

"The what now?" Ron questioned, lifting Kim up in his arms.

"Centuries after founding Yamanouchi, in the Heian period, Toshimiru, found himself on the battlefield once again, facing his one true enemy, Yakunan. The name itself means evil and misfortune." Yori paused to give Ron a chance to bring Kim inside his house, laying her on the sofa.

"Centuries? How was he still alive?" Ron kept a hold of Kim's hand as he and Yori settled on the floor.

"For all the good deeds he had done, Toshimiru, being the very first Monkey Master, was granted a sort of immortality. He would not live forever, but he would live for a thousand years. Yakunan wanted to take over the world, and there was a woman he wanted by his side while he did it. She trained at Yamanouchi, and was in love with Toshimiru, who thought her as the most beautiful woman in the village."

Ron was captivated by the story, wondering how it all fit together. "I take it this woman was an important part of the war?"

"She was," Yori confirmed. "You see, though the two warriors had been battling on and off throughout the years, it didn't turn into a war until the woman, Kuchisake-Onna, came into their lives. Originally, she had been kidnapped by Yakunan to be his bride, but was rescued by Toshimiru, and was brought to Yamanouchi to train alongside him. They fell in love, which angered Yakunan enough to sneak into the school, and effectively slit her mouth so that she'd no longer be beautiful."

"That's…dark. What does this have to do with the weird magical powder?" he asked.

"Yakunan used the powder to put her in stasis. It is because of that event that the War of Darkness began. The quest to take over the world was thwarted by Toshimiru, but he could not save his love, for he had no antidote. She remains in stasis, even now, buried deep within a temple. It's only temporary as long as you have an antidote for it, but I do not have the means to make one. We would need the help of a mad scientist."

"I happen to know just the mad scientist to help us," Ron told her. "Stay with Kim; there's a certain doctor I need to visit."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Hmmm, wonder who that mad scientist could be? :p


	3. We'll Be Lost Before the Dawn

**Author's Note:** I know it's been so long since I updated, but I lost my enjoyment of the show for a while due to a toxic friendship within the fandom. Anywho, I suggest re-reading chapters 1 and 2 before continuing on with this one!

* * *

"Helloooo? Drakken, open up! This is an emergency!" Ron knocked on the door frantically. He leaned against the cool metal, hoping against all hope that the mad scientist would help him. Ron fell forward as the door opened, facing a very exhausted Drakken.

"Nnuh, Stoppable, what do you want?" he groaned.

"You're the only one who can help me," Ron told him. "Kim's in trouble, and so is my little sister. I need an antidote to this magical powder stuff." He held up a tiny bag with the bit that was on Kim's clothing. "It put her into some sort of stasis." Drakken sighed, and gestured for him to come inside.

Ron took in the state of the old lair, noticing that just about everything was gone. "Dude, what happened? Did you get robbed?"

"We're moving, actually," Shego remarked, tying her emerald green robe around her. "Did I hear right? Princess is in trouble?" A quick nod from both men confirmed as such. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's figure out how to fix this."

Ron watched as they worked on the antidote. He even helped gather the tools they needed. The contents in the graduated cylinder continued to change color as Drakken concentrated on the mixture, tongue sticking slightly out and everything. He was an awful villain, but when it boiled down to chemistry, he wasn't half bad.

"Alright, this should be the perfect dose; you need to make sure it goes down. And since I presume she can't move her mouth on her own, you'll have to do it for her," Drakken explained as he handed over the antidote.

"Thank you," Ron told them. "Really, I owe you one. I'll help you move the rest of your stuff. Well, unless you have garden gnomes. Those things really freak me out."

"Oh, we're going with you to make sure it works," Shego pointed out.

"You won't owe us until we know," Drakken added. "We're former villains, not animals."

Having followed Ron's car in their hovercraft, Drakken and Shego watched as the antidote was being distributed. A Japanese girl, Yori, was making arrangements for a flight to Yamanouchi.

"Should we?" Drakken turned to Shego.

"Go with them, and help stop this horribly evil plan?" she finished. Drakken nodded. "It wouldn't be a bad idea. We helped my brothers." She still cringed at the thought.

"After all, they did help us on several occasions where we weren't at fault," Drakken pointed out.

Ron, after having gotten the antidote into Kim's system waited anxiously for something to happen. After nearly twenty minutes, they all realized that it may not be so simple. The kimmunicator began ringing off the hook, and Ron took no time to answer to it. "Talk to me Wade." His tone was desperate, pleading. "Drakken's antidote didn't work."

"How did you distribute it?" he asked.

"Drakken said to make her drink it," Ron answered. "It won't harm her, right?"

Wade shook his head. "No it shouldn't harm her, but you need to send it straight into the bloodstream with a syringe. The substance seeped into her veins to momentarily slow her blood flow from the look of her vitals."

"Aha!" Drakken exclaimed. "Hand over the second vial, Stoppable." Ron did as he was told, and watched as the liquid filled the syringe. Drakken then took an alcohol swab to Kim's arm, and injected her with the antidote. Only moments after having taken the needle out of her arm, did her eyes begin to flutter open.

"KP, thank God!" Ron sighed in relief. "I thought you were down for the count."

This made her smile at him. "I'm never down for the count; you know that." Kim looked around the room in bewilderment. "Does someone want to tell me what's going on?" Her green eyes landed on Drakken and Shego's faces.

"They saved you," Yori explained. "He made the antidote to counteract whatever substance Fukushima used on you."

"Speaking of which…" Kim began, as she sat up.

"Uh, mind clueing us in?" Shego asked. "Who's this Fukushima guy?"

As the one who could explain it best, Yori recapped everything for the two former villains.

"So, we need to take the fight to Fukushima," Kim explained, dialing Wade on the kimmunicator. "We need a ride to Japan. Ron, pack whatever you and Hana will need when we rescue her. Yori, try to contact Sensei to let him know we're coming. I'll get my things together, and then we'll head out as soon as Wade has a ride for us."

"And what about us, Princess?" Shego asked. "We're not just going to sit around and wait for the end of days."

"This isn't—" Kim was cut off by Wade calling her back. "What's the sitch?"

"There's been a break in at Drakken's lab," Wade told her.

"What!?" Drakken shouted.

"He's gone to steal the rest of the antidote," Yori pointed out. "Kuchisake-Onna is in stasis, and if she is woken, we do not know what could happen."

Ron ran a hand through his hair. "This does not bode well."

* * *

In just a few short hours, Fukushima would be arriving at the site of the Yono. The Han was asleep, still unaware of her surroundings. Sensei and his pupils would never know what hit them. The old fool could not see the future clearly, and this ensured Fukushima's path to victory. What his enemies failed to realize was that young Hana was not only a ninja prodigy, but has the power of re-animation. The Second War of Darkness was on the horizon now. The final battle was about to begin.


	4. All My Fears Turn to Rage

Ron was worried; not forgetting to turn in a few assignments worried, but it's-the-end-of-the-world kind of worried. They had been trekking through the forest towards Yamanouchi for what felt like forever. It would have felt like old times, but the fact that Drakken and Shego were present made the situation feel much more dire. His eyes flickered over towards Kim, her auburn hair tied up into a high ponytail. Her face outwardly showed determination and the fearlessness she always exuded, but Ron knew to look past the surface. After all, he had known her his whole life. Kim was exhausted, and rightly so. From the look in her eyes, if you searched deep enough, her fear was as plain as the nose on her face.

Kim caught his eyes, giving him a soft smile. She reached out for his hand, interlocking their fingers together. She squeezed his hand three times; that was their silent way of saying 'I love you.' There appeared to be a break in the thick forest trees up ahead, and surely enough the bridge to Yamanouchi presented itself to them.

"It's about time," Drakken remarked. "These bugs are getting on my last nerve." Shego elbowed him not-so-lightly. "Well, they are," he continued as they walked across the rickety bridge.

"Sensei said he would be awaiting us in the courtyard," Yori told them. "I can see him from here." Surely enough, everyone else saw the small dot of a man in the distance. Yamanouchi had definitely suffered from the attack that happened just days before Hana was kidnapped. There were portions of the structure on the ground in several pieces.

"I see we have two more guests than expected," Sensei pointed out when the group arrived. "Drew Lipsky and Sheena Gordon."

Drakken's jaw dropped, and Shego's hands began to glow. "How do you know our names?" she demanded.

"Sensei is clairvoyant," Yori explained. "He knows and sees all except for how Fukushima's plans will affect us."

Shego scoffed. "Well, that's not very helpful is it, Mystic Man?"

"Shego!" Kim hissed. "Now's not the time for snark."

What Kim saw as disrespect, Drakken saw as a defense mechanism. He could differentiate between Shego's attitudes. This particular bit of 'snark,' as Kim put it, was what Drakken had come to understand to be Shego's alternative to showing fear. When in a stressful, life-threatening situation, she tended to give attitude, but it was downplayed more than her usual cockiness. It was very rare for her to be afraid, which surprisingly made Drakken feel braver; or perhaps he was feeling protective, which in turn, would boost his valor.

"It is quite alright," Sensei told them. "Stressful situations tend to bring out the worst in people." He turned to Ron, studying him for a moment. "Stoppable-San, as you know, the Lotus Blade was taken by Fukushima, as well as your sister. She is needed for his plan, which tells us that he plans to unearth the Yono yet again."

The faces of Kim, Ron, and Yori were horror-stricken. The last time the Yono had been unearthed, everyone but Hana had been turned to stone. Though Hana defeated the one who unearthed the Yono, they were very close to eternal destruction.

"What?" Drakken asked as he and Shego noticed the expressions on everyone's faces. "Who's this Yono?" Shego pinched the bridge of her nose at Drakken's use of air quotes.

Sensei, sensing the tension in the air, motioned for everyone to follow him inside. "Come, and we'll talk it over with tea. I will tell you the tale of Yono."

* * *

Fukushima dug through the coarse dirt in Simian Canyon, searching for the golden pull ring of the Yono's temple. Hana had finally woken, and was now running around the canyon, distracting him from his work. He couldn't allow her to get away, as that would risk his chance of receiving absolute power. Digging through his satchel, Fukushima found the powder he had used on Kim Possible. He lifted Hana in his arms and sprinkled the substance over her, putting her tiny body in stasis for the time being.

After another hour of digging, the pull ring was just barely visible, but it was enough for Fukushima to grab ahold of, and lift. He was thrown back, and watched as the monkey temple rose from the depths of the earth. A turned-to-stone Monkey Fist could be seen at the top of the temple, forever frozen in a prison of his own making.

_ Not for long_, Fukushima thought. "Simian mon kayala uwono aluay ken servant." He felt the ground quake, and looked up at Monkey Fist who had begun to move, but still made of stone. Emerging out of the temple's entrance was a cloaked figure that stopped just a couple of feet from him.

"I am Yono," he bellowed, ripping away the cloak to reveal a short brown monkey with piercing green eyes dressed in a purple Mandarin tunic with gold trim.

"Fukushima!" Monkey Fist shouted. He disappeared out of thin air from the top of the temple, and reappeared atop of the steps. "Have you come to finish what I began?"

"I have bigger plans than having you become the monkey master," Fukushima scoffed. "Ever hear of the War of Darkness?"

* * *

Shego sipped her tea tentatively, unable to figure out if she liked it or not. She had always been more of a coffee person, but when in Rome…or Japan, rather. Sensei was pouring tea for Kim and Ron, who looked to be in deep conversation on the other side of the room. Shego had never seen Possible look so exhausted in all the years they were acquainted. She was itching to find out more about this Yono character, and why it signified danger all around.

"Gather around," Sensei told them. Kim and Ron finally sat down between Sensei and Yori, facing their former foes. He looked at Drakken and Shego. "I take it you were told of the War of Darkness?" They nodded. "Yakunan plays a large role in the tale of the Yono."

"He does? You never told us that before," Ron remarked.

"We shall start from the beginning," Sensei said softly. "His full title is Yono the Destroyer. When Toshimiru claimed victory, he banished Yakunan, and had him sent away to the hidden valleys of Simia Canyon. Unbeknownst to Toshimiru, Yakunan had meddled with the darkest of magic previously. This dark magic kept him truly immortal. This kind of magic required human sacrifice, and Yakunan gave plenty after slaying so many on the battlefield. However, he did not anticipate the transition into a monkey, as he was only made so by his jealousy of Toshimiru being the monkey master." Sensei took a sip of his tea, observing everyone's reactions. By the look on Kim and Ron's faces, they had figured it out. "Yakunan would remain immortal, but would live out his days as a monkey imbued with the power of wielding the darkest magic in the world, only able to help those evil enough to seek him, for he is the one they call the Yono."

"Soooo," Shego began. "We're scared of…a monkey?"

"A monkey who wields dark powers," Drakken pointed out.

"And who has caused death and destruction in his wake every time he is summoned," Yori added. Gesturing toward Kim and Ron, she said, "We are lucky that we survived our last encounter with him, but it was only because Monkey Fist was unable to get Hana to comply."

"That's the other part that doesn't add up…what does Stoppable's little sister have to do with any of this?"

"My sister is a ninja prodigy, but is also the weapon called The Han," Ron explained. "For reasons still unknown, the Yono has a connection to the monkey mystic weapon that my sister apparently is."

"From what I could tell from Monkey Fist's ramblings, if you are able to have The Yono and The Han comply with your wishes, you'll gain endless power to do with what you wish," Kim added.

"And how do you even know all of this, if it isn't common knowledge?" Shego asked Sensei. "I mean, you're old and wise, I get that, but how are you sure?"

"Because," Sensei paused for dramatic effect, "I am Toshimiru."

* * *

After the shock of Sensei's revelation wore off, Yori stood up, gesturing for Kim, Ron, Drakken, and Shego to follow her. "It is time that we get some rest, I suspect. We have all had a long night." The sun was just beginning to rise over the mountains, but not one person in the room had enough sleep to still be standing. "I will show you to your rooms. I assume it will be alright to share?" The four guests looked at each other in surprise. Yori laughed, realizing they thought all four of them would be sharing one room. "I meant to say that Drakken and Shego will share one room, while you and Stoppable-San share another." The look of relief on everyone's faces was extremely noticeable.

Drakken and Shego settled as comfortably as possible on the bed roll, though that wasn't saying much. Her eyes closed instantly, and she was veering off into sweet obliviousness until Drakken's quiet laughing woke her up. "What are you laughing at?" she asked irritably.

"I was just thinking, maybe we shouldn't fight this monkey; he might use gorilla warfare," he laughed. "Get it? Cause guerilla war—oh never mind." He noticed the roll of Shego's eyes. "This whole thing is just bananas!" And the laughter started up again. "We can't be caught monkeying around, you know."

Shego growled. "That's it! If you tell me one more pun, I'm shoving you off this bed."

"But—"

"No."

"Just—"

"Sleep!" Her tone was crueler than she meant to be. She harrumphed as she turned herself away from him, unable to get rid of that niggling feeling in the pit of her stomach. She knew that Drakken was only trying to ease the tension that Sensei's story filled the air with, but the fear she felt had her lashing out at everyone.

Meanwhile, Kim and Ron were continuing their heated conversation from earlier, neither bothering to at least sit upon the bed roll.

Kim's eyes were aflame with frustration. "Ron, I don't care how many times you say it, I'm not just going to get up and leave. Yes, Fukushima is after enacting revenge on you, and the world, but the truth is, I'll be in danger no matter where I am. You don't have to do any of this alone."

"You don't know what you're saying, KP. You need sleep," Ron told her, sitting down on the bed roll. "We both do. Hopefully, tomorrow you'll realize how absurd you're being."

"Excuse me!?" Kim exclaimed. "_I'm_ being absurd? Who's the one planning on taking down Fukushima head-on without any backup? You can't do that, Ron, it's certain death!"

"But it'll ensure that you stay alive!" he argued. Kim was taken aback by this statement. He sounded so sure of it.

"Ron," her voice softened, "how can you be so sure of that?" He said nothing, but slipped a small, rolled piece of parchment from his pocket. "What is this?"

"I found it in Hana's room," he told her. "Read it."

_Outsider, your sister will not come into any harm, as I need her alive in order to enact my plans. However, if you want Possible to remain alive, meet me in two days' time in Simia Canyon where you will inevitably perish for the woman you love._

Kim couldn't stop the tears from welling up in her eyes due to her anger and fear. "Ron, you can't do this! I'm not worth this. There's always another way." She sat down beside him.

"Not worth this? KP, you're worth everything good in this world." Ron's determination to die for her was frightening. Not that she wouldn't do the same for him, but what good would it be to not even try to defeat Fukushima together?

"I won't let you do this alone," she told him. "We'll get Hana back, we'll defeat Fukushima, and send the Yono and Monkey Fist back in the ground. It seems impossible, but well, do I have to say it?"

Ron smiled at her, unable to keep it from his face.

"Anything's possible for a Possible," they spoke in unison. "And don't you forget it," Kim added.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Please tell me what you thought of my backstory for The Yono. And how about that twist, huh? Sensei is Toshimiru, the original Monkey Master!


End file.
